20090529 Three Forms of Human Knowledge

Q. 1. I heard that Jesus had three forms of human knowledge. What are they father?

Answer: Jesus had the following forms of human knowledge, they are as follows:

1. He enjoyed the Beatific vision, the direct vision of God enjoyed in Heaven by the saints;

2. He enjoyed infused human knowledge, given to Him by Divine illumination, as in the case of some prophets and mystics;

3. He enjoyed experimental knowledge, what humans learn by experience. 

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

20100530 On the Question of Faith

 Question: Do you have an example of a story about faith?


Here is what I have to share...

VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has

with GOD, the ALMIGHTY. He asked one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you Believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

ProfessorIs GOD Good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.

Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.

But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor: You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella.

Is GOD Good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is Satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does Satan come from ?

Student : From . . . GOD . . .

Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor: Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?

All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who Created them ?

(Student had no answer)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.

Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smell your GOD?

Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Professor: Yet you still Believe in HIM?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol,

Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.

Professor: Yes,Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn't.

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat,

a Little Heat or No Heat.

But we don't have anything called Cold.

We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.

There is no such thing as Cold.

Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.

We cannot Measure Cold.

Heat is Energy.

Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir.

Darkness is the Absence of Something

You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .

But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it?

In reality, Darkness isn't.

If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.

You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.

You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure.

Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.

It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.

To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that

Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.

Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and

Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavor,

Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?

Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . .

No one appears to have done so.

So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol,

Science says that You have No Brain, sir.

With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.

Student : That is it sir . . . Exactly !

The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.

That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

20090223 On Theological Virtues

Question: Father, what are the so-called theological virtues? What does it mean?


Answer: Here is the answer according to our Catechism of the Catholic Church


"The human virtues are rooted in the theological virtues, which adapt man's faculties for participation in the divine nature: [2 Pet. 1:4] for the theological virtues relate directly to God. They dispose Christians to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. They have the One and Triune God for their origin, motive, and object. (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1812)


"The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being." (C.C.C. # 1813)

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

20091102 On Angels and "Body of Christ"

Do Members of the "Body of Christ" have Guardian Angels?


Answer: Paul's epistles are written to the "Body of Christ" which comprises all believers through the "Gospel of the Grace of God" (Jew or Gentile) from the beginning of his special ministry until a future day in which the "Body" (whether asleep in the grave or alive) will be called up into the air to meet our Lord Jesus Christ in the heavens. (Acts 20:24; I Corinthians 12:27; I Timothy 1:12-16; I Thessalonians 4:13-18.)
This church called "The Body of Christ" is a "New Creature" distinct from God's people of Israel who were called "An Holy Nation." The church which is Christ's Body was brought into being for God's secret purpose called "The Mystery" - "Which He kept hid from ages and generations but now is made known..." as Paul writes; "To the intent that now unto the principalities and power in the heavenly places might be made known by the church the manifold witness of God." (Ephesians 1:22,23; II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; I Peter 2:9; Ephesians 3:1-10)
In other words, God's purpose in saving us today in this "the dispensation of the grace of God" is for the prpose of teaching the angels in heaven, things that even they never knew concerning the many sides of God's wisdom.
Most importantly it teaches the Angels how God's wisdom in the Cross has defeated Satan and openly displays Satan's ignorance as God reveals the triumph of His wisdom and powever over him. (I Corinthians 2:7-9; Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 2:13-15)
In God's grace to us, He is using us to teach the Angels, and He will display us in the Heavens forever to demonstrate to the Angels "the riches of His kindness in His grace toward us" - Ephesians 2:4-7.
Since God's program for us involves teaching the Angels, and since this truth exposes the defeat, failure and doom of the devil and his angels, this truth and those who know it are in a spiritual warfare with "spiritual wickedness in high places" - Ephesians 6:10-12.
The armor God has given us is not "guardian Angels," but is the "truth," "righteousness," "peace," "faith" and "hope" found in our position in Christ. Furthermore, II Corinthians 10:4 tells us that the "weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." They are not carnal (fleshly), but spiritual, for we do not fight against flesh and blood. Our weapon is spiritual. It is the Word of God.
Therefore Jesus Christ through Paul, his Apostle to us, warns us over and over not to be deceived; nor lured into the worship of Angels; nor to be spoiled of our rewards through Angels appearing to teach us another gospel or any other doctrine not found in Paul's epistles for us. (Colossians 2:18; Galatians 1:8; II Corinthians 11:13-15; I Timothy 4:1,2)
Interestingly, Colossians 2:18 implies that those who would have you believe a message from an Angel or to adore the Angels in worship, they have never even seen an Angel, though they may testify that they have seen an Angel.
To the contrary, the Apostle Paul says much about Angels observing, listening and learning of God's grace from us:

"We are made spectacles to the Angels..." - I Corinthians 4:9.
"We shall judge the Angels" - I Corinthians 6:3.
We ought to obey the authority God has established "because of the Angels" - (perhaps because they are watching our obedience) - I Corinthians 11:10.
Our position "in Christ in heavenly places" is a show of the kindness and grace of God to the Angels who never had seen such grace - Ephesians 2:4-7.
And it was God's intent in forming the Body of Christ to teach the Angelic Host about His "manifold wisdom" - Ephesians 3:10.
Paul acknowledges that his words are heard before "the Elect Angels" - I Timothy 5:21.
Today, we have the privilege and the ministry of using "the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God" (particularly "the Word of His grace" to us;) and by using it we can assist God in "spoiling principalities and powers" by the preaching of the Cross and thereby, through faith, save those (Jews or Gentiles) who were part of the kingdom of Satan - "the power of darkness" and "translate them into the Kingdom of God's dear Son." (Ephesians 6:17; Acts 20:32; Colossians 2:15; Ephesians 2:8,9; Colossians 1:12-14)

As God's purpose for Israel centers around His kingdom in the earth, so God's purpose for us - the Body of Christ centers around His kingdom in the heavens. Angels were used to help Israel by informing them and protecting them as a nation, in fulfillment of God's intent for the earth. However, today God is using the church which is His Body to help the Angels by informing them and warring against the spiritual wickedness in high places in fulfillment of God's intent for the heavens.
The more one understands the uniqueness of the age in which we live and how it is that we battle in a spiritual warfare for the heavenly places the more insight is gained as to the ministry of Angels today. We the Body of Christ are teaching and warring in their behalf in the heavenly places. We accomplish unseen victories as we "stand fast in the Lord and in the power of His might" using as the weapons of our warfare "the sword of the Spirit" and "praying always" for "boldness" to proclaim "the mystery of the gospel." From that point of view, why would we have guardian Angels?
Rather than Angels helping us, God has given unto us something much more comforting and powerful. He has given to us His Holy Spirit who strengthens us with "power" and "might in the inner man" and "seals" us as God's possession unto the day of our redemption; all to His glory. (Ephesians 3:14-21; Ephesians 1:13,14)
Instead of protecting us from all the evils that may befall us in life we are instructed to be "filled with the Spirit" and to learn that God's grace is sufficient. In fact we begin to understand that in our weakness God is made strong in us so that while we may suffer need, go hungry, be afflicted with pain, or suffer loss; we "can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us!" What a testimony this is to the power of God's grace in us, both unto man and the Angels. (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22,23; II Corinthians 12:7-10; Philippians 4:11-13)
There is an amazing truth which can only be received by faith. We are told in scripture that our afflictions in this life are working for us. As we walk by faith, motivated by grace, strengthened by God's Spirit, guided by His Word through all the difficulties of life we will be rewarded "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." If guardian Angels prevented such afflictions, they would be working against you, robbing you of rewards, and the glory God receives through His working in your life. (II Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:16-18; II Timothy 2:9-13; 4:6-8) 







fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

20081129 On Grace

Can you please explain to me father what grace is, and how do we get more of it?  

Answer:

We are very blessed in the Catholic Church because we have priests who dispense sanctifying grace each and every day to the faithful in the sacraments, especially Holy Communion and Confession. In this materialistic world that we live in, there is a need for more and more grace in our lives if we want to overcome the evil and be close to God. Grace is an absolute necessity in our daily endeavors. But how many among us realize that?  How many people live out their existence and never even once ask God to send more grace?

Grace is a free gift from God to His sons and daughters.  There is nothing we can do to merit grace, because it is a gift, after all.  Faith is also a free gift AND a response to grace - to quote the Catechism:

#162:  Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man.  

#166:  "Faith is a personal act - the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself."

In the Sacred Scriptures, St. Paul is struggling with personal sin, he says in his second letter to the Corinthians 12:7-10:

"And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me;  but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

From Paul's words, we see that God gives each one of us sufficient grace to overcome sin, even when it seems like we are struggling with overcoming sin.  And when we are weak, that is when we are strong, because that's when God's power is made perfect in us.  How many people, when things get so bad in their lives, fall down on their knees in tears and ask God to fix things?  A lot! And that is exactly what God means when he says "my power is made perfect in weakness." The acknowledgment of God as our loving Father over our own strength and power is the beginning of our relationship with God, and the beginning of the end of our pride. The prideful and strong who are always in charge of their affairs never do this, so God can't work in them as powerfully as someone who is humble and acknowledges God in their distress.

20081201 Doctors of the Church

Father, who are the Doctors of the Church and why are they called as such?


Answer:


For a person to be proclaimed Doctor of the Church, three requisites are necessary, according to Pope Benedict XIV's well-known definition:

• an eminent doctrine,
• a remarkable holiness of life and
• the declaration by the Supreme Pontiff or by a General Council which has met legitimately.

Following is the list of Doctors of the Church, starting with their name(s), the Pope who proclaimed them and the date on which this occurred:

1-4.	Saints Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Gregory the Great	Boniface VIII,    September 20, 1295
5.	Saint Thomas Aquinas	Saint Pius V ,    April 11, 1567.
6-9.	Saints Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Saint John Chrysostom	Saint Pius V,    1568.
10.	Saint Bonaventure	Sixtus V,    March 14, 1588
11.	Saint Anselm of Canterbury	Clement XI,    February 3, 1720.
12.	Saint Isidore of Seville	Innocent XIII,    April 25, 1722.
13.	Saint Peter Chrysologus	Benedict XIII,    February 10, 1729.
14.	Saint Leo the Great	Benedict XIV,    October 15, 1754.
15.	Saint Peter Damian	Leo XII,    September 27, 1828.
16.	Saint Bernard of Clairvaux	Pius VIII,    August 20, 1830.
17.	Saint Hilaire of Poitiers	Pius IX,    May 13, 1851.
18.	Saint Alphonsus Liguori	Pius IX,    July 7, 1871.
19.	Saint Francis of Sales	Pius IX,    November 16, 1871.
20-21.	Saints Cyril of Alexandria and Cyril of Jerusalem	Leo XIII,     July 28, 1882.
22.	Saint John Damascene	Leo XIII,    August 19, 1890.
23.	Saint Bede the Venerable	Leo XIII,    November 13, 1899.
24.	Saint Ephrem of Syria	Benedict XV,    October 5, 1920.
25.	Saint Peter Canisius	Pius XI,    May 21, 1925
26.	Saint John of the Cross	Pius XI,    August 24, 1926.
27.	Saint Robert Bellarmine	Pius XI,    September 17, 1931.
28.	Saint Albert the Great	Pius XI,    December 16, 1931.
29.	Saint Anthony of Padua	Pius XII,    January 16, 1946
30.	Saint Laurence of Brindisi	John XXIII,    March 19, 1959.
31.	Saint Teresa of Avila	Paul VI,    September 27, 1970.
32.	Saint Catherine of Siena	Paul VI,    October 4, 1970
33.	Saint Therese of Lisieux	John Paul II,    October 19, 1997.

20090807 On Koinonia

What is Koinonia father?


Answer: Koinonia is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible. Koinonia’s primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.” The first occurrence of koinonia is Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together in love, faith, and encouragement. That is the essence of koinonia.

Philippians 2:1-2 declares, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Koinonia is being in agreement with one another, being united in purpose, and serving alongside each other. Our koinonia with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ. First John 1:6-7, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

A powerful example of what koinonia should look like can be found in a study of the phrase “one another” in the Bible. Scripture commands us to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), honor one another (Romans 12:10), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13), spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9), and love one another (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11-12). That is what true biblical koinonia should look like.

20090315 Being Parents

I have talked with many parents who have experienced a mixture of both joy and sadness, of failures as well as achievements, of new needs and greater expectations as their kids grow year after year. There are parents who get hurt especially when their children leave their homes to start anew and have their own families. Yet, it is worth every part of it. 

How is to be a good parent?

I chose the wisdom of Kahlil Gibran because he put it into beautiful words. Parenting is the law of divine love, as expressively put into words by Kahlil Gibran:

“Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them,

but seek not to make them life you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children

as living arrows are sent forth.

The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might

that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

so He loves the bow that is stable.”

Grief melts away

Like snow in May,

As if there were no such cold thing.

20100217 Surprised by Happiness

What is the Christian concept of service?

Jesus says in the Gospel: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Such a statement, according to some commentators, goes against the search for “self-fulfillment” which turns out to be not as advance. In Christian living, fulfillment comes, not through personal satisfaction, but through service to others.

In my experience as a priest, I have met diverse people. As I look back, I can roughly divide them into two: stars and servants. The stars are obviously the celebrity, we know how they live their lives. Stars live a glamorous life, yet left on their own, many of them are not really happy, some of them are miserable and have troubled or broken marriages.

Servants on the other hand, are people who serve in poor communities. Servants are not limited to priests and nuns but also to doctors, nurses and the like.  They live a more inspiring life. They serve without counting the cost. They work for low pay, long hours, and no applause or television exposure. But somehow in the process of losing their own life, they found something meaningful. They have received the peace that the world cannot give.

posted by Everett Corvera

20100114 On Fear

Father, how should we respond to fear?

“I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, and I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, and in short, I was afraid.” T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Fear is the universal primal response to suffering. And yet beyond doubt it is also the single greatest “enemy of recovery.”

Courage is not the absence of fear, courage is how you master your fear. Fear not, for in our mind and heart we know that there is always help - God is always there. A prayer to the Archangels is my best weapon to face fear and anxiety.

Father Everett, can you please give me a list of interesting facts about the Bible?

Here's an old one which is about 250 years old taken from A Friendly Companion, November 1989 issue.

The Bible is the life and tree of knowledge which contains:

* 66 books
* 1,189 chapters
* 31,173 verses
* 810,697 words
* and 3,566,480 letters.
* The longest chapter is Psalm 119.
* The middle verse is Psalm 118.8.
* The longest name is in Isaiah 8.
* The word "and " occurs 46,627 times.
* The word "Lord" 1,855 times.
* 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 are almost alike.
* The longest verse is Esther 8:9 with 90 words and 426 letters.
* The shortest verse is John 11:35; "Jesus wept".
* Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except 2.
* Ezra the scribe was the first to preach from a pulpit.
* The words "boy" and "girl" "chapel" "coffin" "eternity" and "reverend" are only mentioned once - read on until you find them.
* The finest piece of reading is said to be in Acts 26.
* The name of God is not once mentioned in Esther, although it contains so much holiness, knowledge, love, and wisdom.

20090822 On Riches

A relatively wealthy man asked me: “Where in the Bible can I find answers on God talking about wealth and money? On how to be good and trusted stewards?”

I initially shared with him the story about the rich young man in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 10:17-22), later though I also mentioned this amazing story in 2 Chronicles 1:7-12:

“That night God appeared to Solomon and said, ‘What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!’

Solomon replied to God, ‘You showed faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O Lord God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?’

God said to Solomon, ‘Because your greatest desire to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people – I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

After reading this particularly story of Solomon’s brave request, I never cease to pray to God for wisdom. If I were in Solomon’s shoes I would have asked for other things. But no, wisdom should come first before anything else. For according to James 1,5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

20100312 On Discernment

Soon after giving a talk on the Holy Rosary, a young enthusiastic fellow approached and asked this particular question that I also asked to my Spiritual Director when I was a seminarian:

“What is discernment? What is its origin? Is it in the Bible?”

Discernment comes from the Latin words: “discernere” and “discretion.” Discernere literally means “to separate by sifting,” it has the prefix dis meaning apart and the root word cernere meaning – to sift, separate.

In the Greek New Testament, the term discernment has an equivalent to the verb “to discern” and the noun “discernment,” it is as follows:

1.     Amakrino (verb) to distinguish or separate

2.     Diakrino (verb) signifies to separate, discriminate

3.     Dokimazo (verb) to test, to prove, to decide

4.     Diakrisis (noun) judging, a clear discrimination

In the New Testament, the expression “discernment of spirits” first appeared. It is never mentioned in the Old Testament. It was St. Paul who particularly brought up this need to discern when he mentioned in his letter to the Corinthians that one of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit to the early Church was “the power to distinguish one spirit from another” (1 Cor 12:10).

INTRODUCTION

In my daily encounter with all types of people, I am enchanted by the direct experience of an invisible presence that somehow forms in various questions from friends, parishioners and acquaintances. Most of the questions are with regard to prayer, Catholic faith and belief. For many years an inner prompting beckoned me to list down these questions in my journal. These questions lead me to prayer (and pray-ing), reflection and sometimes it flicks a flame that enables me to organize my thoughts in preparing a homily.

Through the urgent pleading of some friends to whom I shared and were able to read my Journal on Q and A, now bemoaning the confusion of my emergence, it is with joy that I share this sheer immensity of questions and answers on just about anything…

(The following Q and A is not in particular order. Numbers before the title means Year, Month and Day)

posted by Everett Corvera